Computational Approach for Entry Simulation

A comprehensive experimental study was conducted to investigate human movements when entering a vehicle. The primary goal of this study was to understand the influence of environmental changes on entry motions selected by a driver to enter a vehicle.

The adjustable hardware setup “VEMO” (Variable Entry Mockup) was used for the experiments. With VEMO it is possible to simulate different types and classes of vehicle configurations. Around 30 test persons of different anthropometry participated in the experiments. The visual measurement system VICON was used for motion capturing, motion data cleaning and biomechanical analysis.

The results corroborate the theory of leading body parts (LBPs) i.e. body parts that control targeted movement of the entire body. It could be demonstrated how motion patterns of LBPs, including spatial and dynamic characteristics such as orientation and velocity, respond to modifications of the geometrical environment. For the simulation of dependent body parts, a force-based method was evolved and applied to the human model RAMSIS.